The Faery Vow

Chapter 27

"You do realise Drake is staring daggers at us right now?" Kheelan murmured.

I huffed, staring straight ahead. I could see Drake from the corner of my eye turning to look at us but I ignored him. "I don't care."

We were walking back through the field towards the house. The ride back had been dead quiet. The tension could be sliced with a knife and I was the one creating it. Drake looked confused at first but his expression slowly got darker as I continued to ignore him.

"What did Drake do to upset you?"

Kheelan was walking with me, behind everyone else. Eva had decided to stay with Lady Maurelle for a couple of days. She'd fallen in love with the woman and her home. Maurelle was probably buttering her up right now to try and get Drake to come back.

"Nothing," I muttered.

"Well, that's a lie. I don't understand how you two always seem to be fighting. Aren't you tired of it?"

"What? Do you think I enjoy feeling like this?" I snapped, shoving Kheelan away. He came straight back though, undeterred.

"That's my point though, why keep fighting when you hate it so much?"

"Because, if I don't fight with him then I'll just keep falling for him and I can't do that."

"Of course you can."

"No," I ground out, "I can't because, when I'm not angry with him, all I want to do is tell him the truth but I can't because you won't let me!"

"Laila, you know it's too dangerous -"

"I know!" The others turned around and I lowered my voice. "I know but you're not the one lying to someone you lov -"

I bit my tongue but Kheelan caught it. "You can't even say it."

"I can, I just refuse to say it. If I say it, it becomes real and as I just explained, I can't let that happen."

"I wish I knew how to fix this problem, Laila but I can't see any clear options."

"It's alright," I sighed. "It's not your problem, it's mine. I'll figure it out and anyway, I'm still pissed at him so I don't have to worry too much."

"Laila..."

"Don't 'Laila' me. Just worry about your own love life. Have you heard from Sal?"

"He sent word yesterday, I didn't get a chance to tell you but still no luck."

Damn. I went back to the subject of his love life to try and distract myself. "Have you told Sorcha you love her yet?"

Kheelan looked ahead, watching Sorcha's back and his cheeks reddened.

"Oh my god, you have!"

"Quiet!"

"No way! Did she say it back?" The stupid grin on his face answered my question. I let out a little cheer and everyone turned around as I danced around Kheelan while he tried to shut me up. He finally grabbed me and covered my mouth.

Laughing, I looked around and froze as I met Drake's gaze. His face seemed set in stone and my imagination started conjuring up images of him and Maurelle again. Shoving Kheelan away, I walked ahead, passing Drake and heading into the house to try and find something else to distract me.

* * * *

"Ah, there you are." Sorcha poked her head around the door to my room.